You may fancy yourself a student of firearm history; you may own flintlock, you may even own a matchlock. Perhaps you even own a wheellock, but do you have a Handgonne?
The handgonne, or "hand cannon" is quite literally the first firearm. Developed in the 14th Century, it is a simple barrel attached to a pole-stock. It was fired either "from the hip" or by a two man team in which one man held the weapon steady on his shoulder while the other fired.
The style and caliber of original Handgonnes varied. This particular piece was made by renowned medieval firearms builder Steve Krolick. It is copied from an original gonne that dates back to the early 14th Century and was found in Germany. It features a short, roughly 6" .56 caliber barrel inlaid into a maple stock with a long tiller to aid in aiming and bracing for recoil. The barrel is pinned to the stock, like many of the later Handgonne variants.
It is brand new and unfired. Unlike other reproduction Handgonnes, this piece is finished and ready to shoot. The touch hole is drilled and the barrel is painted black; which is based on original descriptions of some original handgonnes.
Included with this Handgonne is a loading rod, made from hickory and featuring a ring on the end, which can be attached to a neck lanyard for ease of reloading.
These things are an absolute blast at the shooting range; and we can all but guarantee you'll be the only one at your local shooting club who owns a "hand cannon".
